From smart phones to solar panels, tech equipment uses a lot of metals that don't have a good substitute.

Despite their name, rare earths are common. And now countries besides China, like Malaysia, are exploring how to make money mining for the key component in electronics.

The Obama administration is taking China to the World Trade Organization saying it's not playing fair with those crucial raw materials.

U.S. and EU complain to the World Trade Organization about Chinese dominance and policy in the vital high-tech sector.

It takes a lot of what are called rare earths to make the electronics that keep us going in the 21st century. The Obama Administration believes China is holding back its supply of these special metals to drive up prices and now the U.S. , the European Union, and Japan are taking their beef about China to the World Trade Organization.

A ruling against China by the World Trade Organization could mean cheaper rare earth metals. The metals are used in many electronic devices.

Japanese scientists say they have discovered a huge cache of rare earth minerals on the ocean floor near Hawaii. And they say the minerals will be…